Improvement in pencil-holders



G. A. SMITH.

Pencil-Holders.

Patented Feb. 4,1873.

1 AM puoroi/mosmf'mcco. M )f(usa0mvs'sPnucEsS) UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

GEORGE A. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. W.

CAMPBELL, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN PENCIL-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,603, dated February 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SMITH, of

' Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improve ments in Pencil-Holders, of which the followin g is a specification:

My invention relates to a device for clamping and holding pencils and various other analogous articles, which obviates the necessity of clamping-rings and screw-threads, and serves to firmly hold in position the pencil, whether long or short, thus utilizing short pencils. My invention consists of a tubular case of metal, hard rubber, wood, or any suitable material combined with the clamping device proper, which is a tube, preferably of spring metal or tempered rubber, o'pen at both ends and slotted.

Figure I is a view of the holder complete, with pencil inserted for use. Fig. II is the clamping device with the pencil in position therein, prepared for insertion in the case or barrel. Fig. III is the clamping device simple.

The tubular case or handle may be of any suitable material, either metal, rubber, wood, ivory, porcelain, &c., all that is essential being that it be sufficiently hollowed out at one end for the passage of the clamping device with the pencil or other article in position. The case may be silver-plated, nickel plated, or electroplated, if desired.

The clamping devicewhich, like the case, may be of various suitable materials, as above stated-is a short tube open at both ends and provided with such number of slots (three, more or less) as are made requisite by the size of the pencil or article inserted, or may be preferred by the maker. The slots permit the end of the clamping device to be compressed firmly upon the pencil, the compression bein g effected automatically by the act of inserting the clamping device into the case or handle. If it be preferred, the clamping device may be provided with stops of any kind, either struck up, or riveted, or soldered upon the clampingtube; or these stops may be placed within the casein such position that the end of the clamping device, when properly inserted, will rest thereon, this with thedesign to prevent the clamping device being so far forced within the case as to be difficult or inconvenient of withdrawal. I prefer a ridge or collar struck up on the clamping-tube at the base of the portions separated by the slots to effect this purpose.

This device may be employed for holding a slate-pencil, a wooden pencil, the leads simply, crayons of various descriptions, a stick of lunar caustic for surgical use, taking the place of the ordinary porte-caustique and when employed for the latter'named use a cap or cover should be fitted over the exposed end. The device may also be employed for holding the bristles of a mucilage or other brush. In order to make the clamping device take a firmer hold of either a pencil or tuft of bristles or hair, small projections may be struck up inwardly, or a rim may be turned inwardly upon all or a part only of the divisions of the clamping device at their lower ends, or upon the outer end of the clamping-tube. The device may also be employed for holding a rubber tip upon a pencil, if desired; and for this purpose the clamping device may be duplicated upon the reverse end of the case or handle.

The interior of the case and the exterior of the clamping-tube (either or both) may be ground rough, so that the parts of the device may be more readily retained in position. A milled collar may be made upon the case or theclamping-tube, either or both, in orderto afford the hands'a firmer grasp in using the device and in putting the parts together for use. The inner end of the clamping device may be made of thin corrugated metal, if desired, in place of being slotted; but this would be merely a colorable evasion of my device.

I am aware that the device of slotted tubes of metal has been employed for holding the leads of pencils, the leads being clamped and retained therein by screwing a metal tip over the slotted tube. I am also aware that port- 'crayons have been used, consisting of a clampin g-tube,the divisions of which are compressed together by a sliding ring or like device. I am, however, aware of no device for analogous use, complete in itself in two parts, and with the compression and retention of the pencil or' object inserted efl'ected by the act of inserting the clamping device within the tubular case without the use of screws or rings.

What I claim, therefore, as my invention The combination of the tubular case and the clamping device, composed of 2t section of tube open at both ends and slotted at one, the

retention of the pencil being efiected-byfforc ing the clamping device within the case, all as and for the purposes above shown and described. GEO. A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W, E. CHAFFEE, JAMES LUPTON. 

